Tuesday 26 November 2002

By Clare Jerrom, Nicola Barry and Alex
Dobson.

Law lords give hundreds of murderers the key to
freedom

More than 200 murderers could have their jail term cut and up to
70 could be entitled to immediate release, after a law lords ruling
yesterday stripped the home secretary of his power to set minimum
sentences.

But David Blunkett immediately announced that he would draw up
new principles to ensure horrific killers such as Ian Brady, Peter
Sutcliffe and Rosemary West will never be set free.

Currently the trial judge would set a minimum term, which could
be amended by the lord chief justice, but the home secretary has
the final say.

Now around 2,000 murderers will be eligible to have their
sentences reviewed. Up to 215 could have their sentence cut because
the home secretary increased the terms recommended by judges.

Source:- The Times Tuesday 26 November page 1

Council chief stole from poor for sex

A Labour council chief received a three-year jail term yesterday
for defrauding a charity for the poor of more than
£172,500.

Garvin Reed, former deputy leader of Rotherham council, spent
the money on prostitutes, luxury hotels, drinking and gambling.

He posed as a millionaire businessman on his jaunts using money
from the Local Government Forum Against Poverty, of which he was
national covener. With two other men who worked for the council he
went on a three-year spending spree.

Bob Bone a former council officer was sentenced to two years in
jail, and John Cook, Reed’s friend, received a 220-hour
community punishment order.

Source:- The Times Tuesday 26 November page 5

Asylum seeker city

One in 20 people living in London is an asylum seeker or
refugee, according to a report published today.

Figures from the Greater London Authority show the estimated
total of up to 400,000 asylum seekers is equivalent to a city the
size of Bristol.

Source:- The Times Tuesday 26 November page 11

Cases of HIV hit record high

A third of young people believe there is a cure for Aids,
according to research.

As figures for HIV infection in England and Wales are due out
this week, the survey has revealed a widespread and dangerously
misplaced complacency among young people.

The survey is being published before World Aids Day on 1
December.

Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 26 November page 13

Parents to blame for exclusions, says head

A head teacher has blamed a sharp rise in the number of children
being excluded from school on the parents.

Chris Healy of Balcarras School Cheltenham and Gloucester, said
parents are openly encouraging their children to defy teachers and
question their authority.

He believes some parents who have had bad educational
experiences, are trying to get back at teachers through their
children.

Source:- Daily Telegraph Tuesday 26 November page 9

The tragedy of Rachel: A 22-minute video that gave
pupils a shock lesson in drug use

Yesterday afternoon pupils aged 14 and 15 at John Masefield High
School in Ledbury, Herefordshire, became the first children to use
a controversial new anti drugs video in a drug education
lesson.

Source:- The
Independent Tuesday 26 November
page 3

Scottish newspapers

Three years to change system that is failing our
children

Child protection services were yesterday given three years to
put their house in order by Jack McConnell after a report showed
more than half of Scotland’s vulnerable children do not
receive the support they need.

The first minister warned that the current system was failing
“too many too often”.

Source:- The Herald Tuesday 26 November page 1

Human traffic new offence

The trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation
will become a new offence in Scotland under proposals due to be
considered by MSPs today.

An amendment to the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill,
introducing a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison for
trafficking, is expected to be approved by the Justice 2 committee
of the parliament.

Source:- The Scotsman Tuesday 26 November page 11

Binge drinking ladettes follow men into
oblivion

Young women are not only drinking as much as men, they are
increasingly matching them in their drunken behaviour, a survey
reveals.

Among women aged 16 to 24, six in 10 admit they have been so
drunk they had no memory of the occasion.

Source:- Daily Mail Tuesday 26 November page 18

Welsh newspapers

How Did It Happen?

A six-year-old cancer patient escaped from her hospital bed in
the middle of the night, and tried to order a taxi home.

Now Georgia Hingston’s family want to know how their
daughter, who is suffering from a brain tumour and was desperate to
get back to her home, managed to reach the hospital’s
reception before being spotted.

A spokesperson for Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, which covers
Llandough Hospital where Georgia was a patient, said that the
absence of the child on the ward was spotted immediately by nursing
staff who took action to find her, and a detailed investigation of
the event was now underway.

Source:- South Wales Echo Monday 25 November page 1 and
5

Ex-priest ‘must serve his time’

The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff says that paedophile
former priest John Lloyd should not be considered for early release
from prison.

Archbishop Peter Smith said that Lloyd, who once served as a
priest in Cardiff, should serve the whole of his sentence following
fears that he might be released early by a parole board.

Lloyd’s conviction for sexually abusing two altar boys and
a 23-year-old woman, and raping a 16-year-old girl, was one of a
series of scandals to hit the Catholic Church in Wales.

Source:- South Wales Argus Monday 25 November page
7

Neighbourhood watch hero denies six rapes

The leader of Britain’s best neighbourhood watch group led
a double life as a multiple rapist, a court was told.

Former soldier Tony Lane, who led a neighbourhood watch scheme
in Newport that won a gold award, is accused of 24 sex and violence
attacks against women, including six counts of rape.

The 56-year-old was praised as a hero when the scheme that he
led on a deprived estate in the city, won the government’s
top award five years ago.

He denies all the offences at his trial at Newport crown
court.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 26 November page 1

Campaign to stop male moans over
breastfeeds

Children’s charity Barnardo’s has launched a cartoon
style leaflet that it hopes will help men to understand and support
the importance of breastfeeding.

Men’s attitudes to their partners breastfeeding is thought
to be one of the reasons behind the high proportion of women who
still opt for formula foods rather than the proven health benefits
of breastfeeding.

The leaflet has been written by Barnardo’s fathers’
development officer Clive Jones and a midwife from the Sure Start
project.

Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 26 November page 6